Shahnawaz`s US visa delayed, unable to join MPs` delegation

New Delhi: BJP MP and former Union Minister
Shahnawaz Hussain has failed to get an American visa on time
and is unable to join a parliamentary delegation to New York
to attend the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

"I was one among the five MPs who were to attend a UN
General Assembly programme from October 20 to 31. Our Ministry
of External Affairs had applied for the visas. While the other
four have got their visas and are leaving tonight, I have been
told there will be a delay due to administrative processing,"
Hussain told a news agency.

Girja Vyas, Sanjay Nirupam (both Congress), Ali Anwar
(JD-U) and T K S Elangovan (DMK) are the other members of this
"non-official" delegation of MPs going to New York.

"I am still waiting for my visa. Since Ministry of
External Affairs has applied for this visa and its a normal
diplomatic procedure, I don`t understand why it should take so
much time," Hussain said.

Interestingly, Hussain has visited US thrice in the past.
The last visit was post-9/11 when he went there as the Union
Textile Minister.

"I have visited New York during all my three visits to
the US. First when I was in the Union Coal ministry, then as
the Union Civil Aviation Minister and lastly as Textile
Minister," he said.

About two months back, filmstar Shah Rukh Khan had to
face embarrasment during a visit to the US when he was
detained and questioned for hours.